JPH06105605B2 - Image observation device for electron microscope - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image observing apparatus for an electron microscope, and in particular, an electron microscope image or the like obtained during image observation and a simulation image corresponding to the same or different. The present invention relates to an image observation device for an electron microscope, which can be simultaneously displayed on a CRT.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, an electron microscope having a structure in which a television camera is attached to the electron microscope and an electron microscope image can be observed by a monitor CRT, and an electron microscope to which the electron microscope is applied / expanded (transmission type) have been commercialized. (Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Meeting
of the Electron Microscopy Society of America, 198
5, pages 140-141 and Proc. XIth Cong.on Electron Microsc
(opy, Kyoto, 1986, pp. 453-454, etc.) However, the conventional apparatus as described above has only the function of displaying and storing the observed image.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the electron microscope image whose magnification is magnified so that it can be observed up to the atomic level, the observed image looks completely different even if the observation conditions are changed slightly (for example, even if the focus is shifted by several hundred Å). Is often. Also in the electron diffraction image, the diffraction intensity and the diffraction pattern may change due to slight changes in the observation conditions.

For this reason, it is very difficult to interpret the electron microscope image (state of atomic arrangement and electron diffraction).

As a countermeasure, conventionally, an electron microscope image was taken under a certain observation condition, a simulation was performed under the same observation condition, and the image interpretation of the electron microscope image or the like was performed in comparison with the simulation image obtained as a result. Is going.

However, conventionally, since the simulation of the electron microscope image and the observation and photographing of the actual electron microscope image are performed individually, not only is there a problem that it is troublesome and inefficient, and the setting for the simulation is required. There is also a problem that an input error may occur and a simulation image may be calculated under a condition different from the observation condition.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and provide an image observation apparatus for a (transmission type) electron microscope in which the operability / function and reliability of the electron microscope are improved.

[Means for solving problems]

For the above purpose, not only is the observed image displayed on the CRT, but the simulated image is also common or
This can be achieved by displaying on separate CRTs arranged as close as possible.

[Action]

An electron microscope image is taken with a TV camera and displayed on a monitor CRT, and at the same time, an electron microscope image is simulated under the same observation conditions as when the image was taken.
Alternatively, it is configured such that it is displayed on a part of the same CRT by a method such as screen division.

As a result, the image (theoretical value) obtained by the simulation can be observed at the same time while observing the electron microscope image or the like, so that the electron microscope image or the like can be easily and efficiently interpreted.

In addition, as the operator sets observation and imaging conditions for an electron microscope image, etc., of these conditions, a simulation device (for example, a computer) can be used without separately inputting those necessary for simulation. If the data is transferred to the device, not only the trouble of inputting is eliminated but also erroneous input is eliminated, so that reliability and efficiency can be improved.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

The electron microscope 1 has a normal configuration, and the electron microscope image and the like formed by the electron microscope 1 is converted into an electric image signal by the TV camera 2 and stored in the image frame memory 5a via the TV controller 4. . At the same time, the image signal stored in the image frame memory 5a is output at a predetermined timing and the image is displayed on the image CRT 9c.

The processor 3 controls the operation of the electron microscope 1 in accordance with the setting input from the keyboard 8 and, among the observation conditions of the electron microscope 1, information necessary for simulation.
For example, the magnification, acceleration voltage, focus state, etc. are constantly transmitted to the computer 6.

The computer 6 is for simulating an electron microscope image or the like, and necessary information (for example, sample name, crystal structure, beam incident direction, etc.) is input from the keyboard 8 in addition to the transfer information from the processor 3. , Theoretically calculate a simulation image corresponding to an electron microscope image under observation.

The result of the simulation by the computer 6 is sent to and stored in the simulation frame memory 5b. The stored contents of the frame memory 5b are read out at a predetermined timing and sent to the simulation CRT 9a, and an image by the simulation is displayed on the screen thereof.

The simulation described here is a calculated value based on the electron diffraction theory, and can be, for example, a simulation using the well-known Multi-Slice method. Of course, in the present invention, it is not necessary to particularly limit the theory for performing the simulation, so that the simulation by another method is naturally possible.

The screen divider 7 has a built-in frame memory therein, takes in the outputs of the image frame memory 5a and the simulation frame memory 5b, and removes the stored contents of the image frame memory 5a, that is, a part of the electron microscope image and the like. The image signal is stored in the built-in frame memory, and the stored image of the simulation frame memory 5b, that is, the corresponding portion of the simulation image is inserted into the removed image portion and combined as one frame (image), and this is the combined image CRT9b. It is output to and displayed on the screen.

As described above, an actual electron microscope image and the like are simultaneously displayed on the image CRT9c, and a simulated image is simultaneously displayed on the simulation CRT9a.

In this way, the operator can operate the electron microscope 1 to observe an electron microscope image or the like with the image CRT9c, and at the same time, see the simulation image with the simulation CRT9a. This can be performed without error, and the operability such as focusing can be improved to improve the efficiency of observation and photography.

In the composite image CRT9b, a part of the actual electron microscope image and a part of the simulation image are screen-divided and
It is displayed as one composite image.

Therefore, the operator can judge that a correct electron microscope image or the like is obtained if the image on the composite image CRT9b is displayed as a complete screen only by observing the screen of the composite image CRT9b. So you can quickly interpret the image as before,
In addition, it can be performed without error, the operability such as focusing can be improved, and the efficiency of observation and photography can be improved.

As can be easily understood from the above description, the composite image CRT9b
Are not necessarily equipped with the simulation CRT 9a and the composite image CRT 9b, and can be a substitute for these CRT pairs.

In addition to the simulation image (and electron microscope image), the observation conditions (sample name, crystal structure, accelerating voltage, beam incident angle and irradiation angle, lens current, accelerating voltage, sample tilt angle, etc.) are displayed on the same screen. It is also useful to do.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to simultaneously display an electron microscope image that is actually observed and an image obtained by a simulation under the same conditions as those, so that image interpretation and its operability in an electron microscope are easy, The effect is great.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1 ... Electron microscope, 2 ... TV camera, 3 ... CRU, 4 ... TV controller, 5a ... Image frame memory, 5b ... Simulation frame memory, 6 ... Computer, 7 ... Screen divider, 8 ... Keyboard, 9a ... Simulation CRT , 9b ...
Composite image CRT, 9c ... Image CRT

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A means for converting an image formed by an imaging lens system of an electron microscope into an electric signal, an image display means for displaying an electron microscope image based on the electric signal, and the electron microscope. In an image observing device of an electron microscope comprising means for deriving a simulation image corresponding to an image and the like, and means for displaying the simulation image, the electron microscope image and the simulation image corresponding to the electron microscope image An image observation device for an electron microscope, which displays at least a part of each of them at the same time. 2. The observation conditions necessary for deriving a simulation image according to claim 1 are:
An image observation apparatus for an electron microscope, which is transmitted from a means for controlling an electron microscope to a means for deriving the simulation image. 3. The means for displaying a simulation image and the means for displaying an actual observation image are the same in claim 1 of the above claims, and the display screen has an arbitrary size and shape. An image observing device for an electron microscope, characterized in that the image is divided and both the images are simultaneously displayed on the divided screens.